Water, Water, Everywhere

Marie's words were......

"I told my rebellious teen-aged son to move his stuff out of the basement because the Skeena River was threatening to flood its banks. He said, We have lived here for years, we've heard that before and it has never happened, and then he left the house. I moved as much as I could upstairs while friends came to sandbag, but it was no use. Helplessly, I watched the waters rise and seep into my basement and then rush in torrents under the door. What a hopeless feeling! "

"Days later I was finally allowed to approach my home by canoe. My basement was a mess of floating sewer back-up, water logged papers, mattresses, desk, clothing, etc." Despair.



MDS...Mennonite Disaster Service responded to this need. Teams of volunteers flew or drove to Terrace, B.C. to help the flood victims. John & I had just a tiny part in finishing the arduous job that had been done by many preceding volunteer groups, such as mucking out the soaked gyproc, carpets, wiring, plumbing, and walls, then reconstructing the framework, electrical, walls, doors, taping and mudding the new gyproc, then sanding and choking with dust.

My job consisted of filling nail holes, a bit of sanding and painting. Thanks to my encouraging friend, Dorothy, this task was actually enjoyable. John did some carpentry and finishing. He had to be quite creative in hanging doors into frames that had to be adjusted and fit into walls that were far from level or square.

Marie was so appreciative and pleased to see her basement finally finished, clean and new, after this long 5 months process. She could finally move down the displaced items that had been crowding her upstairs living space. She was so excited to do laundry again in her own home, after John & Peter connected her new washer & dryer.

A group of local dignitaries suggested a "wrap-up" event. With cake and gifts in hand, they came to the camp we were staying at, where many tearfully expressed their gratitude for the help and encouragement they had received... from utter despair to hope and a brighter future.

Special new friendships and good memories are a bonus gift.
We are to be Jesus' hands and feet here on earth. I pray that the testimony all of us left behind would have reflected God's love.

Keep Your Eye on the Mark

Call me crazy, but I love cutting the lawn. The lines must be straight so when the job is finished the pattern should be even, perhaps criss crossed or diagonal or back and forth.
This brings to mind what my Dad told me... It was a mark of great pride for the early Saskatchewan farmers to plow a perfectly straight furrow across an immense section of land. This, being done while walking behind a temperamental team of horses and a rickety plow, was no small feat. The secret was to choose a marker in the distance, keep your eye on it and keep walking straight toward it.
(I wonder if the modern day farmers, in their air conditioned,stereo equipped,computerized John Deere tractors still have to do that, or is it just a matter of pushing "cruise-control")

Jesus uses this analogy in Luke 9:62..."No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." Wow!

The apostle Paul reminds us also to keep going, keep focused.
Philippians 3:14...Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward what is ahead, toward the goal .....
Hebrews 12:1 & 2 ...Let us run with perseverance, the race marked out for us, and fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.

We start on our journey with Christ, but get so easily distracted by things that cause us to lose sight of the goal and the finish line.
If we could see our "life-furrow" from the sky, I wonder what kind of pattern would emerge?

Sometimes Miracles Hide

I picked up a used CD for one dollar from a sale table. One of the songs, written by Bruce Carroll, speaks of a couple who were eagerly awaiting the birth of their first child. A call from their doctor informed them that the ultrasound showed some serious problems. They were left with a difficult choice...to abort or to let live. They chose life!
At birth, the diagnosis was confirmed that their child would be disabled. From the moment they saw their little one, they realized she was extra-special. God gave them more grace, strength and love beyond what they could ever have imagined.

These are the words to the chorus....
Sometimes miracles hide.
God will wrap some blessings in disguise.
And you may have to wait this lifetime
To see the reasons with your eyes,
'Cause you know... sometimes miracles hide.

As a Grandma of disabled grandchildren, I needed this reminder today.

Shall We Gather at the River

This last weekend we went to visit our friends, Peter and Anna, who decided to move away from this rat race, way up a mountain and homestead...yes, free range chickens, turkeys, emus, llamas, bears, sawmill, log house and all....amazing! (but not for me)

We joined them at their church on Sunday morning and it reminded me of "Little House on the Prairie." About 80 people gathered in a little heritage church, complete with a church bell ringing in the steeple to welcome the worshippers.

The entry was a tiny little foyer which was also served as the kitchen. All sorts of cakes, cookies and sandwiches were ready for a picnic on the ground after the service. Casual interaction between the people and the pastor during the service was interesting and sometimes comical.

A genuine love for God and each other was very evident in their sincere and fervent intercessory prayer. This was a very special Sunday as four young people shared their testimony of faith. After the last amen, the pastor said, "Let's go down to the river and we will baptize them".

The whole congregation walked a few blocks down the road past the old hotel, gathered at the river and watched as the pastor and the four young people waded into the cold, shallow Kettle River to show all onlookers their commitment to follow Jesus. PTL! It blessed my heart.

And it was like a step back in time when things were so much simpler.

Angel --- Aware

Just yesterday, our Sunday morning sermon topic was eyesight (spiritual, that is). Are we aware of the spirit world and angels present among us? Just because we can't see them, doesn't mean that they are not there.

Returning from Vancouver, going east (three lanes) onto the Alex Fraser Bridge, I was following the speeding traffic. The large semi in front of me was slow, so I passed in the left lane and proceeded to merge back into the center lane in front of him. A lady, driving a white van, passing the truck on the right, also began merging in front of him towards me. We both noticed this just a split second before our side-view mirrors touched and we pulled away. Had we side-swiped each other, God only knows what could have happened.

I'm convinced that my guardian angel was sitting in that passenger seat beside me.
I said, "Thank You Lord! Thank You Lord!" all the way home.

Trapped

We just returned from a wonderful time at the lake with kids and friends. Most of our cooking was done on BBQ's and campstoves. But when it came time to sit down to a delicious meal, we had univited guests joining us. It was the year for wasps. People were swatting and running and getting stung all over the campsite.
A sympathetic friend brought an insect trap and set it on our table and it worked. It was also very fascinating to watch....just a jar with a bit of pop in the bottom and a few holes under the sides of the lid which led to a small tube to the inside. It was like a wasp magnet.

If those wasps could speak & think, I imagine it would be something like this.

"Hmm, something in there sure smells good and sweet. Gotta get me some of that. Oh, here's a little opening. Yeah, I'm in. Oh boy, it's kinda tight and hot in here. Help, I can't get out! Forget the pop, I gotta get out of here. Buzz,buzz,bzzzz. Oh dear, here comes my brother, and my cousin, and my friends...Stop you guys! Don't get sucked in too. It's a trap! Too late. Buzz,buzz, bzzzz. It's so hot and I can't breathe. I can't fly anymore, I'm getting tired, I'm goin' down. Help! I'm drowning in this awful warm pop."

Outside more come to investigate. " Wow, there must be something really great going on in there. Listen to all that humming. This is where the action is! Let's join them, everybody's doin' it!"

Several lessons and observations come to mind, but I will let you draw your own conclusions to my little story.

SMILE

"Candid Camera" was a wonderful show, because it made people smile, laugh and forget about their problems for the moment. Every show ended with "Somewhere, when you least expect it, someone might walk up to and say, Smile! You're on Candid Camera."

Sometimes I smile for no apparent reason as I walk through the mall and people look at me with a quizzical "do I know you?" look and usually they smile back.
At the restaurant table next to me, one day, was a group of "special" people communicating with strange odd sounds. I admired how patient and kind their caregivers were with them. As they left, I said "Hi" to one of them and was rewarded with a very loud laugh right next to my face. She was so pleased and excited that someone smiled at her and noticed her as a person.

Elementary school joke. What's the longest word in the dictionary? Answer - SMILES
'Cause there's a mile between the two SS.